WASHINGTON BLADE HONORED WITH “PAVING THE WAY AWARD” ON 50TH ANNIVERSARY BY CAPITAL PRIDE ALLIANCE
May 8, 2019….Washington, DC — The Capital Pride Alliance today announced that the Washington Blade, this year celebrating 50 years of informing and educating the LGBTQ+ community, will receive the prestigious Paving The Way Award. This special award acknowledges an individual or organization that has provided exemplary contributions, support, and/or advocacy that has impacted the LGBTQ+ community, and whose leadership has inspired continued progress. Candidates for this honor are selected by the Executive Committee and approved by the Board of Directors.
The Washington Blade was founded in 1969 as a black and white, one-sheet community newsletter. In 2019, the Blade celebrates its 50th anniversary as America’s LGBTQ News Source. The Washington Blade was selected to join the pool rotation for the White House Press Corps, becoming the first LGBT publication to participate in these duties. Readers locally and globally rely on the Blade’s unmatched coverage, which has garnered scores of local and national journalism awards. The Blade is recognized as the nation’s “Newspaper of Record for the LGBT Community.”
“For five decades, The Washington Blade has been in the vanguard of informing, educating and lifting the stories of our community, from a time when we were ignored by mainstream media to our vital role today providing the kind of comprehensive coverage you still won’t find in the mainstream. As the only LGBTQ outlet in the White House each day and in the president’s pool rotation, the Blade plays an important role in holding the administration accountable on our issues,” said Washington Blade editor Kevin Naff.
“We are thrilled to honor the Washington Blade for all it has done the past 50 years,” said Ashley Smith, Board President of Capital Pride Alliance. “As we honor and mark 50 years since the Stonewall uprising we must also look to the impact – including the founding of the Blade in October 1969. Their continued vigilance in covering LGBTQ+ issues and having a place in the White House press corps speaks to the progress we have made and the need to have a vibrant LGBTQ+ media in the nation’s capital and across the nation,” concluded Smith.
The Washington Blade joins the other honorees of the 2019 Capital Pride Heroes Award, Engendered Spirits, and awards named for late founding board members, Bill Miles and Larry Stansbury, as well as a new “Breaking Barriers” award. The recipients will be honored at the Capital Pride Honors reception, on Friday, May 31 at 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and G Streets, NW and generously supported by Capital One, Pepco, Tito’s, and Heineken. This is a pre-reception to new event Countdown! Pride Celebration Kick-Off Party at 8:30 PM – 1:00 AM presented by the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Smithsonian Pride Alliance, Capital Pride Alliance, and BYT.
Some historical highlights of the 50 years of the Washington Blade:
OCTOBER 1969
The Gay Blade first published as a monthly newsletter.
JUNE 1972
Blade publishes first multi-page edition.
JULY 1974
Blade printed in newsprint for first time.
1979
Blade changes publication from monthly to bi-weekly.
OCTOBER 1980
Name changed to The Washington Blade.
JANUARY 1983
Washington Blade publishes weekly.
SEPTEMBER 1995
Online edition of Washington Blade launched.
OCTOBER 2008
John McCain becomes first Republican presidential nominee to do interview with LGBT publication.
APRIL 2010
Washington Blade purchased by Brown, Naff, Pitts Omnimedia.
2013
Washington Blade admitted to White House pool rotation (First LGBT publication ever).
2019
Washington Blade celebrates 50th Anniversary.
For more information go to: https://www.washingtonblade.com/2019/05/04/looking-back-50-years-of-the-blade-12/
For more information go to capitalpride.org
The Capital Pride Alliance, located in Washington, DC, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the needs of the LGBTQ+ community and its partners through educational events, entertainment, community outreach, and celebrations of diversity throughout the year. Capital Pride produces each year Trans Pride and the Pride Celebration in the nation’s capital, one of the largest Pride events in the country, which includes the Pride Parade, Festival, and Concert, plus a variety of educational and community events throughout the year. Facebook (CapitalPrideDC), Twitter (CapitalPrideDC), YouTube, Instagram (@CapitalPrideDC).
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